The Society seeks to support and publicise excellence in the Australian plant-science community, by providing awards to recognise members or a fellowship to enhance research (current financial members of the Society).
Peter Goldacre Award
Details here
Peter Goldacre was an enthusiastic researcher who was held in great respect by his peers. His tragic death in 1960 from stomach cancer at age 34 shocked and saddened all his friends and colleagues. The Goldacre Medal was established as a lasting tribute to his contributions in plant physiology, and as an encouragement to young researchers. A short biography of Peter Goldacre can be found here.
A call is made for applications each year. This award carries a $2000 cash prize and a medal.
An ASPS member may apply for the Award or be nominated by another member. The research must have been done within 10 years of their PhD, or within 10 cumulative years of employment subsequent to the year in which their PhD thesis was submitted (excluding career breaks).
Proudly sponsored by Functional Plant Biology, the official journal of ASPS
Jan Anderson Award
Details here
Joan (Jan) Mary Anderson FAA FRS FDhc (Umeå) was an internationally acclaimed plant biologist renowned for her discoveries on the organization of the intricate membrane structures that carry out solar energy conversion in cells of green plants. Jan’s experiments and insights changed the way we think about the light reactions of photosynthesis. Her research career spanned some 55 years, mostly at the Division of Plant Industry CSIRO Canberra (1961-97) and then in the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University. A short biography of Jan Anderson can be found here.
Jan was a passionate and creative female scientist who was well ahead of her time. She was an inspiration to young researchers, for whom her enthusiasm and curiosity were infectious. Professor Jan Anderson died on 28 August 2015 after a short illness. In recognition of her life and achievements in photosynthesis research as a pioneering female scientist, this award will acknowledge talented female plant science researchers.
A call is made for applications each year. This award carries a $2000 cash prize.
A female ASPS member may apply for the Award or be nominated by another member. The research must have been done within 15 years of their PhD, or within 15 cumulative years of employment subsequent to the year in which their PhD thesis was submitted (excluding career breaks).
Proudly sponsored by Agrisera and CSIRO Agriculture and Food and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture.
JG Wood Lecture
Details here
JG Wood was the foundation President of ASPP. His contributions are recognised in a series of biennial JG Wood memorial lectures by eminent plant scientists.
RN Robertson Lecture
Details here
Sir Rutherford N (Bob) Robertson was our second President in 1958. In recognition of his formative influence on plant science in Australia, the society began the biennial ‘Robertson Lectures’ in 1994 when Bob turned 81. These alternate with the JG Wood memorial lectures. Bob, together with his wife Mary, continued to be a regular participant at the annual conference until 1997. He was an inspiration to Australian plant scientists both young and old. A biographical memoir of Bob Robertson is available at here.
R.N. Robertson Travelling Fellowship
The RN Robertson Travelling Fellowship is designed to support early career researchers to undertake a research visit outside their host institution. A biographical memoir of Bob Robertson is available on the Australian Academy of Science website.
A call for applications will be made each year, for one or more awards to a maximum value of $4000 per award and total of $7000 awarded each year.
The fellowship supports graduate student and recent PhD graduate members of ASPS to undertake research at another institution outside of the Australian state in which their current research institution resides, by providing access to expertise and facilities outside of that currently available to them. For overseas applicants, the proposed host research institution must be within Australia.
Donate to the R.N. Robertson Fund HERE.
ASPS-FPB Best Paper Award
Details here
Functional Plant Biology (FPB) is pleased to offer an annual award for the best paper published in the Journal in each calendar year.
The award carries a prize of a personal one-year print+online subscription to FPB, a A$250 book voucher from CSIRO PUBLISHING, a framed reprint and a certificate.
To be eligible for the prize, the first author must be no more than 10 years post-PhD, and a member of the ASPS (or its national equivalent).
FPB Reviewers are asked to nominate whether a manuscript is suitable for consideration for the prize, and nominations are then judged by the Editor-in-Chief of FPB in association with a member(s) of the Executive of the Society to select a winner.
For more information about Functional Plant Biology, see the CSIRO web site.
ASPS Education and Outreach Award
Details here
The Society highly values teaching, and this award recognises excellence, innovation and/or contributions to teaching plant science at University level.
A call for applications will be made each year.
The award will be made on the description of excellence, innovation and/or contributions to the teaching of plant science to undergraduate and master’s students.
Student Conference Travel Awards
UPDATED 25 Mar 2024 for awards to travel to IPMB2024: Application deadline 5 April 2024.
Details here
The Society encourages student attendance at the annual national ASPS meeting. This year, we are funding travel to IPMB2024 in Cairns (24-28 June).
Current honours and postgraduate students are encouraged to apply to ASPS by 5 April 2024. Support will vary from year to year depending on the Society finances, meeting location, and the number of applications.
Funding is contingent on the presentation of a poster or oral presentation at the conference.
IPMB2024 organising committee is also offering a limited number of travel grants. Please note that you can only be awarded EITHER an ASPS award OR an IPMB2024 award. Please do not apply for both. Bear in mind that applications for IPMB travel awards will be open to delegates from around the world and likely awarded based on need, whereas ASPS awards are only available to current ASPS student members.
ASPS Carers’ Support Travel Grant for ASPS2023 Award
UPDATE 21 April 2023: Deadline extended to 28 July 2023.
Details here
Since interstate conference attendance is often difficult for ASPS members who are primary carers of young or high needs children, the Society has set aside funds to mitigate this situation and allow the professional development of these members to continue. These funds will provide return air fares to the conference location for a support person to accompany eligible ASPS members with dependent preschool age children (0-4 years) or children with high needs. The award is open to general members and students whose child-caring duties would normally prevent them from travelling due to their circumstances or because alternative child-minding options are unavailable. Note that the accompanying carer need not be a parent or legal guardian.
Support will be awarded on first in first served basis and will vary from year to year depending on the Society finances, meeting location and the number of applications. The Treasurer will apply a formula in calculating individual entitlements and take these factors into account.
Applicants (and their supervisor if applicant is a student) must be financial members of ASPS funding. Funding is contingent on the applicant having an accepted poster or oral presentation at the conference.
Indigenous Travel Grants
UPDATE 21 April 2023: Deadline extended to 28 July 2023.
Details here.
The Society has set aside funds to support Indigenous presenters to travel to our sponsored conferences. The funding available will vary from year to year depending on the Society finances, meeting location and the number of applications. The Treasurer will apply a formula in calculating individual entitlements, taking these factors into account.
Applicants (and their supervisor if applicant is a student) must be members of ASPS, but please note that Indigenous Australians can obtain 12-months of ASPS membership with fees waived by joining here: https://www.asps.org.au/members/join. Travel funding is contingent on presentation of a poster or oral presentation at the conference. Successful applicants will be notified within two weeks of the deadline. The deadline for applications received for ASPS 2023 is close of business 2 June 2023. Please send applications to the Hon. Treasurer of ASPS: Mark Waters at mark.waters@uwa.edu.au.
Student Poster Awards
Details here
Student posters at ASPS 2023 are in the running to win one of the ASPS Student Poster prizes.
Student posters will automatically be entered into the competition, and assessed by judges for the clear and concise presentation of outstanding scientific content.
Winners will be announced at the conference and presented with a certificate and prize.
Plant Nutrition Trust Award reports
Details and reports from past recipients here.